Bryan Guinn, the president of Prism Technologies Group, has been working as a computer and information systems consultant with San Antonio and South Texas businesses. A Microsoft Gold Certified Partner, he serves the technology community as the vice president of the San Antonio International Association of Microsoft Certified Partners. He also is on the advisory board for the Technology Connexus, a non-profit organization that promotes technology within South Texas.

Note: This is an mySA.com City Brights Blog. These blogs are not written or edited by mySA or the San Antonio Express-News. The authors are solely responsible for the content.

As more mothers embrace Facebook, it’s time to change your security profile question

If your mother is starting to embrace the Facebook, it’s probably a good time to check your security preferences. My mom has been on the popular social media site for a year, and she recently added her maiden name to her profile.

She did this because she wanted to connect with her high school classmates. Many would never remember her married name so she added it to her profile.

However, one of the most common security questions asked by the folks from Google and most banks to verify your account is to ask your mother’s maiden name. Now that my mother has posted her name on Facebook, it makes it easier for hackers and other computer malcontents to pose as me if they are thorough enough to make the connection between the two of us. After all, the two of us are connected as “friends” on Facebook.

So as the result of her change to Facebook, I have to update my security profile. Yet, at the same time, I want to alert others about this famed security question. For most profiles, the Yahoos, Googles and your local bank ask some pretty common things such as the name of your first teacher. Just as popular is “What was the name of the first street you grew up with your parents on?” question. Both are as popular as your mother’s maiden name question. All of this information is typically available on Facebook.

To really confuse those would-be hackers, you can also create your own security question with an answer you remember. For example, you could pose the question such as when was the last time the Chicago Cubs won a World Series title (Answer: 1908). Or you could ask, “Who played second guitar on Layla with Eric Clapton? (Answer: the late Duane Allman)

Security questions should be tough enough to protect you, but not too difficult that you forget them either. After all, you wouldn’t want to put the answer on the back of your keyboard pad or under your calendar blotter on your desk.